The Jumpers
by StarkTony
Summary: The Avengers have been trying to save the teenagers of Manhattan when a suspected magic act causes some to jump off bridges. They've lost all of them so far, can they save Henry? Is there a way to break this horrific curse? Mild Stony mentions of past abuse and rape of Tony Stark from Howard Stark and friends. Tony reveals all knowing his team can hear every single word. Review?


The Jumpers

_MANHATTAN IS IN CRISIS, TEENAGERS ALL OVER ARE COMMITTING SUICIDE AND THE AVENGERS BEGIN TO BELIEVE THAT MAGIC IS AFOOT. HOWEVER, CAN IT ALL BE STOPPED BY ONE MAN RELEASING HIS OWN DEMONS? LITTLE DO THEY KNOW, TONY STARK HAS MANY DEMONS THAT HAVE ALMOST CAUSED HIM TO BE JUST ANOTHER STATISTIC IN THE SUICIDE RATIO OF SUICIDE  
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'We've got another suspected jumper' Clint's voice announced over the comm-system, 'Cap what shall we do? 'I've tried everything... he won't back down'.

Steve looked around at his Avengers, 'put us through' he ordered Tony who got to work quickly, 'patching through... now'.

'Hey, Eric?'

There was a sniffle and a startled yelp, 'w-who's there?'

'It's Captain America'.

'O-oh... w-why are you here?'

'Me and my team have come to save you'.

'Is Iron Man there?'

'He sure is, wanna speak to him? Maybe he can tell you about life as an Avenger?'

'I don't... i-I' there was a slight pause before Clint interrupted, 'he jumped!'

Steve looked in horror at the comm-system, 'no!' he yelled.

Tony shakily put a hand over Steve's and held it tightly, 'Cap' he whispered and pulled the older man into his arm, 'it's okay Cap, it's okay' he gently rubbed circles on Steve's back and stood still as Steve sobbed into his chest.

'There's something magical surrounding these poor young human deaths' Thor whispered, 'something evil is afoot'.

Natasha nodded in agreement and called Clint, 'Clint,' she whispered, 'come home' knowing full well that the archer didn't take teen suicides easy.

It was another few days before the next suspected jumper came to light. Another teenage boy, Henry.

Tony Stark was working on his suit at the time and before he heard Steve yell suit up he flew out towards Henry, desperately hoping he could save this one, and then just maybe, the jumpings would stop.

'Hey' he called out as he took off his visor, 'Henry isn't it?'

The boy nodded, slightly in shock, 'y-Your... t-Tony'.

'Yeah' Tony smiled, 'I am, now I'm on top secret Avengers stuff but if you want to know what it is I guess I could tell you?'

'w-Are you allowed to tell?'

'Nope, but you know me, never follow the rules'.

Henry smiled slightly, 'me too'.

'Great so we have something in common, apart from our obviously brilliant taste in music' Tony smiled and nodded at Henry's AC/DC shirt.

Henry smiled, 'they were my dad's favourite band'.

'Good' Tony smiled, 'so back to the Avenger's stuff, I can only tell you if you make your way over to me, okay?'

Henry frowned, 'no. I'd rather not' he turned around to face the sky again, 'I don't want to move'.

There was a slight buzz in Tony's ear as the voice of everything happy and safe came through his comm-system, 'Tony where are you?!'

'Chill it Captain Curious, I'm with Henry'.

'The kid?'

'No the hoover, of course the kid-'

'-Are you talking about me?!' Henry's startled cry alerted Tony to the fact that Henry had taken a step closer to the edge.

'It's only my friends, they're very concerned for your well-being'.

'Well tell them not to. Nobody cares' Henry sniffed, 'nobody does'.

'I care'.

'You don't even know me!'

'No, but just because I don't know someone's backstory doesn't mean I don't care. You saw the nuke right?'

Henry nodded slowly.

'I don't know all of Manhattan but I did that to save you all, now the Avengers are here to help you Henry, we want you to step away from the edge and then we can give you a tour around our top secret base okay?'

'You mean your Tower?'

'Ahh that's where we live, not where we train' Tony grinned, 'come on, it'll be fun, just step towards me?'

'NO!' Henry cried, 'I can't go back. I don't want to go back- n-not to not to him!'

In an instant, Tony knew what Henry meant.

'I can't!' Henry cried, 'you don't... please don't make me, I can't go back!'

'I know' Tony started.

'No you don't!'

'I do actually' Tony whispered.

Henry sniffed, 'w-what?'

'I'm moving closer to you okay? Don't get startled, sit down if you want?'

'Stark' Steve's voice hissed, 'what are you doing?! The Jumpers don't stay more than 5 minutes', Tony ignored Steve and sat beside Henry on the bridge.

'I was 8; my mother had just gone for her annual charity boat event. There was just me and my dad in the house. Our butler was on holiday' Tony laughed slightly, 'the man never took a bloody holiday. But this time he did. H-Howard he, he wasn't a nice man on the best of days, actually on anyday he seemed to hate that I was alive and breathing and safe, whereas his beloved creation was frozen and missing'.

'Captain America?' Henry whispered.

'Yeah. Although none of it is his fault. He wasn't to know' Tony rubbed his chin, 'I've never told anyone this you know? The only person who knew was my dad and the...well... he's gone now' Tony was conscious his team could hear him, but if revealing his secret meant saving someone, he'd whisper it in a heartbeat.

'I'd just finished building a train set I'd been given at one of the Expos. Simple build, beautiful, bold... I may not look like a train fan, but it was a beauty, think I've still got it. My dad was drunk downstairs, although when I accidentally knocked over a lamp he came running. He didn't like noise, especially from me. I was wearing my Captain America suit. I loved to dress up and act as though I was Captain America, running around yelling bye bye Hitler and all' Tony smiled at the memory, 'my team won't ever let me live that one down'.

Henry chuckled, 'kinda sweet though'.

'Yeah... anyway, my father saw me and grabbed my hand- I'd been trying to pick up the lamp, don't pick it up he yelled, it'll be hot he spat. I knew better than to say anything to him when he was in one of these moods but this time... something had changed within him. Something made him different than the normal nights. Before I knew it, he had me pinned to the bed, naked save for my little Captain America socks. There was so much pain, so much blood I thought I'd died when I eventually dared myself to look at the sheets. It never stopped there though. Every night up until their deaths, sometimes his friend would join in, sometimes more than a friend would. I did as I was told, I told nobody and let it go on like a good little boy. I was that much of a screw up, I wanted my dad's attention that much I let him do that... sounds horrific but in those precious few hours he'd kiss me, tell me he loved me and that I was his number one baby boy. I'm royally fucked in the head' Tony smiled sadly, 'but that's my fault for not speaking up, what I'm trying to say Henry, is that I understand completely what you are going through, what has happened and how much you cannot go back there. And that is fine, I have some amazing friends at SHIELD and they're looking to train young agents, something about them being quicker than the old Black Widow and Hawkeye' he knew he'd pay for that comment later, but right now he didn't care. He was focused on keeping Henry alive.

'a-A Job... wo-working for the supers?' Henry's mouth twitched into a smile, 'i-I'd be worthy enough for that?'

'Of course, and there's so many lovely people, they all live in the same apartment plaza, there's a great lady who looks after the young ones, mother hen the agents call her. I suppose she is, but she'd be more than willing to have you there too... so what do you say? Swing your legs over and we can go get you a great room in that plaza, or stay still and I'll get a little rusty and won't be able to fight the villains anymore?'

'm-Mr Stark' Henry whispered after a short pause, 'i-I'm so scared' he cried.

'I know' Tony soothed and carefully got off the bridge and helped Henry back over it, 'but you're gonna be safe now. I promise, I'll even be like a godfather to you, so you've always got someone in the city even if you feel you don't'.

Henry nodded as the tears continued to fall.

Tony held him against his chest as he watched the QuinJet land in front of him. He looked at his team and half smiled as he read the looks on their faces, they knew his past now. Steve walked calmly over to them both and placed his hand on Tony's shoulder and nodded.

A simple gesture to show that he would be there for Tony now. He carefully guided Henry towards Natasha and Clint who nudged him and made jokes about them being too old and him being the new generation of master assassins.

It was only when Steve noticed that Tony had moved back to the bridge that the QuinJet left for SHIELD.

'Just us now Cap' Tony whispered, 'I'm so so tired you know?'

Steve walked over to Tony, 'I know' he whispered and sat beside Tony.

'I know you all heard me'.

'I'm sorry it happened to you Tony. I really- truly am sorry'.

'Captain it's in the past now, it- it does feel weird though, people knowing? I've never told anyone as you know'.

Steve placed an arm around Tony's shoulder's, 'Captain America socks?'

Tony blushed, 'they were the comfiest a kid could ever have'.

'Never saw you as a closet Captain America fan' Steve chuckled.

'Hey don't knock it, I was the most patriotic fan of them all' Tony grinned and began humming, 'who's strong and brave here to save the American way'.

Steve laughed, 'you've got those propagandas?'

'Who vows to fight like a man for what's right, night and day?' Tony continued with a grin,

'Who will campaign door to door for America?

Carry the flag shore to shore for America?

From Hoboken to Spokane?'

Steve laughed and rubbed Tony's arm, and to Tony's surprise joined in with him, 'the Star Spangled Man with a plan!'

Tony smiled, 'surprised you remember Cap'.

'Well I did knock out Adolf Hitler over 200 times'.

Tony nodded, 'you may not of been there for my own personal Hitler, but your here now, and that's what matters you know? Not the past, the here and now. That's what's the most important thing in the world'.

Steve smiled at Tony, 'speaking of, I was thinking of trying something... a little more 21st Century'.

Tony turned to face Steve, 'oh?' he raised an eyebrow, 'and what's that?'

'Something called fondue' Steve whispered and gently placed his lips over Tony's.


End file.
